Lehigh Valley Anti-Trafficking Awareness week is a non-profit organization 501(c)3 that plans and organizes a seven-day awareness campaign. In 2019 the executives of Lehigh and Northampton counties declared the first full week of November as Lehigh Valley Anti-Trafficking Week. The campaign provides an opportunity to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern slavery, and encourage government, local authorities, companies, charities, and individuals to do what they can to address the problem.
The Lehigh Valley Anti-Trafficking Collaborative is composed of several social justice organizations dedicated to fighting the fight on the front lines. The founding organizations of the Collaborative include Aspire to Autonomy, Bethlehem Rotary, Bloom Bangor, Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley, Valley Health Partners Street Medicine, Marsy’s Law, Truth For Women, VAST (The Valley Against Sex Trafficking), and Valley Youth House.
What is Human Trafficking?
The United Nations provides a definition of human trafficking which can be broken down into three essential elements:
1. The acquisition of a person
2. By means of deception or coercion
3. For the purpose of exploitation
Human trafficking, or modern-day slavery – at its core – is the control and exploitation of vulnerable individuals for a profit. People are exploited in all manner of ways, such as sexual exploitation, forced labor, domestic servitude, forced criminal activity, sham marriages, and organ removal.
The mission of Lehigh Valley Anti-Trafficking Week is to abolish human trafficking in our community by building a united front to educate and equip our community to take action.
We are launching our 3rd Annual Awareness Week campaign and we would be honored to have your company participate as a sponsor. Your financial investment will allow us to continue to spread awareness and offer more comprehensive services to survivors in our community. You will be featured as an advocate and partner during the week of events according to your level of giving.